The Apostolic Nunciature to Korea (Latin: Nuntiatura Apostolica in Corea, Korean: 주한 교황청 대사관) is an ecclesiastical office of the Catholic Church in South Korea. It is a diplomatic post of the Holy See, whose representative is called the Apostolic Nuncio with the rank of an ambassador. The nuncio resides in Seoul.
| Apostolic Nunciature to Korea | |
|---|---|
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| Location | Seoul, South Korea |
| Address | Gungjeong-dong, Jongno-gu |
| Apostolic Nuncio | Giovanni Gaspari |
The Holy See consistently refers to Korea when making appointments, never South Korea or North Korea. The Holy See has no relationship with the government of North Korea; in 2018, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's invitation to Pope Francis to visit North Korea was relayed through South Korean President Moon Jae-in.[1]
The Internunciature to Korea was created on 11 December 1963.[2] and made the Nunciature to Korea on 5 September 1966.[3]
List of papal representatives to Korea
edit- Apostolic Delegates
- Patrick James Byrne (7 April 1949[4] – 25 November 1950)[5]
- Egano Righi-Lambertini (28 December 1957 – 9 July 1960)
- Saverio Zupi (26 October 1960 – 31 January 1962)
- Antonio del Giudice (18 April 1962 – 19 August 1967)
- Apostolic Pro-Nuncios
- Ippolito Rotoli (2 September 1967 – 15 November 1972)
- Luigi Dossena (27 February 1973[6] – 24 October 1978)[7]
- Luciano Angeloni (25 November 1978[8] – 23 August 1981)
- Francesco Monterisi (24 December 1981 – 19 June 1986)
- Apostolic Nuncios
- Ivan Dias (20 June 1986 – 28 October 1991)
- John Bulaitis (30 November 1991[9] – 25 March 1997)[10]
- Giovanni Battista Morandini (23 April 1997[11] – 6 March 2004)[12]
- Emil Paul Tscherrig (22 May 2004[13] – 26 January 2008)[14]
- Osvaldo Padilla (12 April 2008[15] – 15 September 2017)[16]
- Alfred Xuereb (26 February 2018[17] – 8 December 2023)[18]
- Giovanni Gaspari (2 March 2024[19] – present)